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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25920208">Quiet Hearts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/64K/pseuds/64K'>64K</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>100 Themes Challenge, Double Drabble, F/M, Gressenheller gang adventures, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:40:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25920208</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/64K/pseuds/64K</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They’ll keep breathing strength into each other until the end, come what may.<br/>Clark/Brenda double-drabbles, written non-chronologically.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Brenda Triton/Clark Triton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Quiet Hearts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Drink</em>
</p><p>"Try it. If it's good, maybe I can convince my boss to put it on the menu."</p><p>"You're very optimistic." Brenda picks up the steaming mug. It smells lovely; she can imagine how many hours Clark put into designing the recipe, taking her dietary restrictions into account… how many hours he didn't work on his thesis for. "Your boss is the most horrible human being I've ever met. And I hope you didn't miss any deadlines because of this!"</p><p>"I'm wounded, Brenda." Clark holds a hand to his heart, his expression a ridiculously affected frown. "I did everything I had to first."</p><p>"Only because you knew I'd scold you otherwise."</p><p>"Well, yes. But this was important!" Clark clasps his hands together, waging a thumb war against himself. "I… want there to be a reason for you to stop by the cafe."</p><p>"I already have a reason." Brenda takes a sip.</p><p>It's the best coffee she's ever had. She can taste the effort that he put in, the hours of trial, error, and thought.</p><p>She grins, pointing to the cup. "But now I've got another reason."</p><p>Clark's worried expression shifts into a shy grin, and that's the only reply she needs.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Eyes</em>
</p><p>"He looks so much like you, Brenda."</p><p>Brenda's exhausted and sore, but not too much to keep from laughing, or from toying with Clark. "Oh, Clark, you're right! You can really see the resemblance—that red, blotchy face, the bald head… we're practically twins!"</p><p>"You know very well what I mean, Brenda," Clark begins, a stern look on his face, before he dissolves into laughter as well. "I mean his eyes."</p><p>Brenda looks down at the baby in her arms, studying his face. "They're closed," she says gravely.</p><p>"Yes," Clark replies, just as gravely. "But wait until they're opened."</p><p>Right on cue, little Luke's eyes open. They're cute eyes—dark, shiny, curious. So much like Clark's. "I think he looks more like you, honestly," Brenda says, not taking her eyes off of her son. "Very handsome."</p><p>Clark shakes his head. "You're the only one who'd say that."</p><p>"What? That you're handsome, or that he looks like you?"</p><p>"Both."</p><p>"Oh, don't sell yourself short like that! I wouldn't lie to you."</p><p>"Well…" Clark trails off, then bends down, looking closer at the baby. "He's got your nose too."</p><p>She can't resist one more joke. "Really? But it's still on my face."</p><p>"Oh, <em>Brenda."</em></p><hr/><p>
  <em>Dark</em>
</p><p>"Can't I at least see them? It's been <em>weeks."</em></p><p>Clark's voice comes muffled through the cellar door, but Brenda cranes her head toward it, as if it's a beam of light piercing through this darkness she's been living in.</p><p>"It would be better for you if you focused on our tasks." The false Doland's voice is smooth, yet Brenda flinches away from it. "I've warned you, Triton. Test me again, and your little boy—"</p><p>"Stop." Clark's voice cracks, and then there's silence. Brenda wants to shout up to him, to tell him that she's alright, but she's so tired, too tired to make a sound, and she's afraid of what that imposter might do to him, or to her or to Doland, and she <em>isn't </em>alright. She doesn't know if she ever will be again.</p><p>Finally, Clark speaks again. "I'm <em>sorry,</em>" he starts, fury burning beneath his mild tone. "I only want to see my wife again. I'm sure, if you weren't heartless, you'd be able to underst—"</p><p>There's a thud, and he's cut off, and Brenda fights against her own weakness. She needs to save him. But she's so tired, and she can't move and it's so, so dark.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Hold My Hand</em>
</p><p>"Do you feel any better when you're here?"</p><p>Brenda's voice is calm, but Clark knows her well enough to know that she's forcing it steady. He doesn't look her in the eye, not yet, gazing around the Garden instead. "I do," he says softly, admiring the verdant trees and plants that no longer grow in the outside world, and feeling the cool mist on his cheek. "It's… calming. It helps me forget what happened."</p><p>"I think so too," Brenda starts hesitantly. "Except I keep remembering… what <em>he</em> was willing to do to find this place. It's beautiful, and it's healing, but… it was rather spoiled for me."</p><p>"I'm sorry." That's all Clark can think to say. Words aren't his strong suit, but neither is anything else, and he doesn't know how to help her. He needs to rely on her to answer that question, just as he relies on her every day in everything. "How can I help?"</p><p>Brenda stares across the water, then turns to him. "Please… hold my hand."</p><p>He does. Her hand feels so <em>real. </em>Tears spring to his eyes. She didn't deserve any of this. But, despite it all, they're together again, and he's so grateful.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Cat</em>
</p><p>"Tell me what he's saying."</p><p>"I can't completely understand animals anymore, Brenda; you know that."</p><p>"Without Luke around, you're the best I've got." Brenda drops to her knees, running her hand between the cat's ears and down its back. The little black creature is so soft, and the way that its purrs vibrate under her hand makes her smile. She looks up at Clark pleadingly. "Please tell me he wants us to adopt him."</p><p>"We can't," Clark protests. "Toppy wouldn't appreciate it."</p><p>"Oh, he'd be fine." Brenda continues petting the cat, enjoying the way that it leans into her touch. "He's a resilient little fellow. Now, what is he saying?"</p><p>Clark watches the cat intently, the reluctance in his eyes rapidly fading. "Well, he likes you."</p><p>"I know <em>that,"</em> Brenda giggles. "But does he want to live with us?"</p><p><em>Mrow,</em> the cat says.</p><p>Clark's almost smiling now. "He wouldn't mind. But he expects to be spoiled."</p><p>"He'll be treated like a prince," Brenda laughs, scooping the little thing up in her arms. "Won't he?"</p><p>"He certainly will, you and Luke babying him."</p><p>"And you! Don't tell me otherwise."</p><p>A grin finally lights up Clark's face. "You know me so well."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>101flavoursofweird on Tumblr asked me to write something Clark/Brenda, and I'm glad they did; I've been wanting to write for the pairing for quite awhile! (Finally, I ship something canon!) This will be similar to the other 100 themes challenge I'm working on: generally written in non-chronological order, but organized chronologically in each chapter. We'll see if I ever manage to do all one hundred, but I'll try my best.</p><p>Thank you so much for reading! If you liked this, definitely check out TheMockingJ3's Clark/Brenda stories. I never thought much about the pairing until reading those stories, but they really helped me understand the characters in a new way.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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